Mercenaria

noun

Mer·​ce·​nar·​ia

ˌmərsᵊnˈa(a)rēə

: a genus of clams (family Veneridae) including the quahog

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Latin, feminine of mercenarius mercenary; from the use of the shells of Mercenaria mercenaria as wampum beads by American Indians

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